UNDERSTAND SYNCHRO CHECK RELAY FOR SOURCE PARALLELING

March 2, 2020adminPower Engineering

Synchro check or sync check relays are used to verify that voltage, phase angle, frequency and
phase rotation across two sides of a breaker are the same prior to closing the breaker.
Synchrocheck relays ensures that bus and line side voltages are within programmed differentials
of voltage magnitude, phase angle, frequency and phase rotation is the same. The permissive
from this relay can then be used for either manual or automatic source paralleling. Out of ‘sync’
closing can create significant impact on the power system and in worst case can damage the
equipment due to high short circuit currents. The sync check relay is ANSI element ‘25’.

The basic method of synchronism check in a modern digital relay is shown in the figure below.
Three phase input (running source) from one side of breaker is fed to the three-phase voltage
input of the relay. A separate single-phase input from the other side of the breaker is used to
provide the ‘sync’ voltage input (incoming source) to the relay.

Incoming source sync phase can be any of the three phases-A, B or C. Usually A phase is chosen
and sync phase is a selectable parameter in modern digital relays. In addition, modern relays also
allow for phase-phase connections or custom phase angle selections. Cases where (Incoming
voltage) Vs cannot be in sync with running voltage Vp are:

Relay running voltage is connected to wye PT while the incoming sync input is connected
phase-phase

Relay is connected to delta PT while the sync input is phase-neutral.

Sync input is beyond a delta-wye transformer.

Read transformer phase shift

For cases above a custom phase angle can be chosen when the sync voltage input always leads or
lags the three-phase voltage input.
The difference in voltage between the two sides of the breaker is known as phasing voltage. For
two systems to be synchronized, following conditions must be matched: Voltage, Phase
Rotation, Phase Shift, Frequency.

In addition, the system either has to be either both three phase or both single phase.

The frequency gradient map below shows the frequency deviations of power frequency (60 Hz)
across the North America for the given time.

US Frequency Gradient
Map. Source: FNET/GridEye

The angle contour map below shows the real-time phase angle differences of power system
frequency (60 Hz) between various regions across continental US for the given time. Reference
point is in Eastern Interconnection.

US Angle Contour Map. Source FNET/GridEye

Voltage

Two sources that are to be paralleled ideally need to have the same voltage. If two sources with
unequal voltages are paralleled it causes reactive power (Var) to flow between the sources.
Minor variations (1-5%) in voltage can usually be tolerated. The var flow is due to the nature of
interconnecting generators. The equation for reactive power flow between two sources assuming
the phase angle difference is zero is given by:

As can be observed, more voltage difference exists between two sources the more reactive power
will flow between the two. Waveform shows two waves with same frequency and phase, but
different voltage magnitudes. Var flow will cause unnecessary heating in interconnecting
components. It is preferred that voltage of two sources be as close to nominal as possible to
avoid reactive power (var) flow.

Phase Rotation

Two sources that are to be paralleled need to have same phase rotation ie, either both ABC or
both ACB phase rotation. Opposite phase rotation can cause significant short circuit current
during paralleling and should not be attempted. Phase rotation meter or the power meter
connected to the panelboard can be used to check phase rotation prior to paralleling sources.
Read Phase Sequence and Phase Angle

Ph
ase Rotation ABC ACB

Above waveform show voltage waveforms for B phase for ABC vs ACB rotation. Vector
diagram for ABC and ACB rotation are also shown.

Phase shift between two sources

Even with both sources having the same voltage and rotation, there could be a steady state
phase shift between the two. See the figure below for example. Both the waves have same
amplitude and frequency but has a steady state phase shift.

Ph
ase Shift Between Voltage Sources

The ideal phase shift to parallel will be zero though that is not usually practical. Typically phase
angle limits for paralleling two sources are ±10 degrees or less. The practical effect of
paralleling two sources with different phase angle is that exchange of real power (watts)
happens. Equation of real power exchange between two sources is given by:
If the phase shift between two sources is zero, no real power exchange takes place between two
sources, which is what we want. We want power to flow to the load and not between the sources.

Frequency

Though most utility sources have fairly stable frequencies of 60 or 50 Hz sometimes one source
may have a slightly higher or lower frequency. This could happen if the generating station is an
islanded source or if the power is from a local standby generator. 

If one source has a slightly higher frequency, then the sources may come to perfect
synchronization for brief time and then ‘slip’ away in to not being synchronized. Picture shows
two waves with slightly different frequencies.

If two sources with different frequencies are closed, real power (watts) flow between sources
which will vary depending on the relative phase angle difference between the waves. Since
the frequency (and hence speed) of once source is slightly ahead, phase angles keep
changing throughout and hence the real power exchange also keep varying.  Practical limits
to frequency difference for paralleling two sources are generally 0.1 Hz or lower.

Below is an example of two waves with slightly different frequencies. As can be observed the
waves come together with zero phase angle difference (IN SYNC) and then drift away (OUT OF
SYNC) only to come back to sync after few cycles.
This would be the scenario when we try to synchronize utility power source with local diesel
power generator. Generator frequency will likely keep ‘drifting’ and only at certain times does
the utility and generator voltages come in to perfect ‘sync’. The breaker will have to close
around this time (possibly using the anticipatory type phase angle method discussed later in
this article) after which the generator frequency will be ‘locked’ in to the utility frequency. If
generator and utility are continued to operate in parallel, the generator frequency will keep
following the utility source. Once the two are disconnected the generator frequency will likely
drift again.

Synchrocheck Relay Settings

For successful synchronization, voltage, frequency, phase rotation and phase angle of the two
sources must meet the thresholds set per the user programmable settings in the relay.

Voltage: Voltage settings for sync check relays have a voltage HI and voltage LO settings. If
measured voltages across the breaker fall within this band then the corresponding relay word
bits will be asserted (TRUE) indicating healthy voltage.

Frequency: If the voltages are found to be good in the step above, relay then calculates ‘slip
frequency’ which is the difference of frequency between the running phase voltage (fp) and
incoming sync voltage (fs) input.

For example, if the running frequency is 60Hz and the incoming frequency is 60.1Hz the slip
frequency is -0.1Hz and the slip angle is 360. This means that in a time period of one second,
incoming source (fs) will zoom past running source (fp) by 36 degree. Or in other words the
angular distance between running source and incoming source changes by 36 degrees in one
second.

Frequency parameter to set in the relay will be ‘Max Slip Frequency’. If the measured slip is
greater than the set value, the synchrocheck relay will not give permissive for breaker to close.
While two utility sources should have very low slip (<0.005 Hz), a utility-generator or a
generator-generator combination can have higher slip frequency threshold.

Phase Rotation: The phase rotation can be ABC or ACB. One way to program phase rotation
check is to use ANSI 59Q (negative sequence overvoltage) element in the breaker close logic. If
negative sequence voltage is detected (Opposite phase rotation will result in high negative
sequence overvoltage) the breaker close logic will prevent breaker from closing.

Phase Angle: Phase angle settings for sync check relay is Max Angle. If the angle between the
two sources is greater than this value, close permissive is not given. Within this there could be
two options depending on the relay.
1)Non-Anticipatory Type: If the measured slip frequency is less than programmed ‘Max Slip
Frequency’ (say 0.005Hz), relay assumes sources are ‘static’ and not ‘slipping’. In this case relay
calculates the angle difference and if the angle is less than the ‘Max Angle’ setting the sources
are flagged as being in ‘sync’. This is usually the case when two utility sources are paralleled
since utility frequencies seldom drift more than few decimals.

2)Anticipatory Type: If the slip frequency is greater than programmed ‘Max Slip Frequency’
(say 0.005Hz) relay assumes the sources are ‘slipping’ and takes in to account the settable
breaker close time. This type of sync check relay has the added capability to give breaker close
command in advance such that when breakers actually close, they close at zero-degree phase
difference. Anticipatory type relays calculate the advance angle required to compensate for
breaker close time by monitoring the slip frequency and the breaker closing time that is
programmed (usually takes 3-5 cycles). This capability minimizes system transients.

High slip frequency is possible when a standby generator is being synchronized to utility or
worse when two generators are being synchronized to each other. Anticipatory type
synchrocheck relay closing is needed for these applications.

The angle to advance is calculated as:

breaker close time has to be less than this value to successfully close within the specified closing
angle.

Once the max closing angle (Ɵ_sync) is programmed, the relay has a window of (2*Ɵ_sync) for
closing the breaker as shown below. If measured voltage is less than V_live in the black shaded
region, no synchronism check is carried out.

Angular Synchronism Check Characteristic

Calculator below can be used to get the idea of real and reactive power flow between two
sources when paralleled. Note that this calculator is just built so that the user can get grasp of the
fundamentals. The interconnecting impedance is fixed at 2pu. Practical power flow calculation
requires lot more data and actual interconnecting impedance.